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Skaggs boosts chances of making rotation

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Tyler Skaggs tossed three shutout innings on Tuesday night against Team Mexico to help in his quest to win the No. 5 spot in the roation.

After that outing, D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said he thought Skaggs may have been pressing in his bid to impress. Skaggs said that was not the case.

"I felt really good in the bullpen I just couldn't bring it out into the game," Skaggs said. "Honestly, I just think it was one of those days where you can't find the zone. On those days you've got to minimize the damage and I didn't."

Skaggs was able to work out of a jam in his final inning Tuesday night.

"He had a real lively fastball tonight," Gibson said after the game. "The umpire had kind of a high zone, a big zone, allowed him to throw it up there. He utilized it, didn't try to get too tricky, stayed with his good stuff, got out of that inning."

Skaggs put in some extra work during a bullpen session between his outings.

"I worked on a lot of stuff this week in the bullpen," Skaggs said. "Not really mechanical stuff, just throwing fastballs, throwing as hard as I can through the catcher and I think it worked."

Steve Gilbert is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveGilbertMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.